I admire the innovators who don’t just see opportunities to change life for the better, but seize that opportunity and run with it. Their creativity often blows my simple mind. I just don’t have the vision they do.
So, here’s my way of saying thanks for all the good ideas and elegant designs that delight me — more examples of great work deserving of a hearty shoutout.
1. Combining a pill box with a water bottle seems so obvious now that we’ve finally seen one.
Seriously, how did nobody think of this before? Especially when you consider how useful it would be for the elderly just to save them a trip to the tap.
2. This hotel knows that you want to get out of bed as little as possible, so they installed a control panel next to the bed for just about everything you might need.
It looks like the only thing it can’t do is go to the bathroom for you.
3. This university’s patio area knows what students need: more power.
So, the umbrella stands have USB ports to charge things, and the stands also double as solar power generators.
4. Yes, the world does need more USB charging stations, so this public bench has USB ports to charge your devices while you sit.
Now if only there was free wifi nearby too, amirite?
5. Showing they have their priorities straight, the designer of this sake bottle put a hole in the side for ice.
Not all sake is meant to be served warm, but no sake is meant to be distilled by melting ice cubes.
6. You don’t often think of retaining walls as being prime candidates for beautification, but along this highway stretch, the wall is painted to look more like the natural surroundings, complete with sediment layers.
You have to admit, it’s nicer to look at than bare concrete.
7. The makers of this backpack really want you to be able to survive in the wild, so they print some survival tips right in the lining.
And now you know to wave at a plane with both hands if you want it to land.
8. At this ramen place, the spoons have a lip on them that allow you to rest them on the bowl without slipping back in.
I obviously get my noodle fixes at technologically inferior restaurants.
9. In Vienna, the traffic lights for pedestrians depict more than just a single person crossing — some also feature couples crossing.
And a little heart in between them — what a nice way to break up the monotony.
10. This vacuum’s packaging takes into account how the weight is distributed, so the handle is placed closer to the center of mass rather than right in the middle.
Great engineering right down to the box!
11. Adding a glow-in-the-dark strip to a first aid kit has to be a good tweak, right?
Because the last thing you want in an emergency is to not be able to find your emergency supplies, and this really stands out.
12. Love this feature on the Boeing 787, the ability to tint the windows at the touch of a button.
Best of all, it’s quiet, especially compared to the noisy shades you typically find in an aircraft cabin.
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13. This athletic shirt has a hidden message for wearers that appears when they use it to wipe the sweat off their faces.
Which is a perfect time for some positive reinforcement.
14. At this airport, when you have a lengthy wait for your connection, you can head to their gaming area and plug in for a while.
This is at Dallas/Ft. Worth, for the record. Can’t wait for these to spread around, though!
15. This keypad has an extra security measure that will really keep you on your toes: the positions of the numbers randomize so a wear pattern will never show up.
Just think of trying to overcome the muscle memory to use it!
16. Okay, this is a clever design — a sign advertising for a yoga place that’s also doing a yoga pose, the downward-facing dog.
You have to give them some props for that.
17. Also, huge shoutout to the bricklayers on this building job for laying out a wood grain pattern on the exterior.
I know, at first glance, you wouldn’t even know it’s brick work. Just imagine how long it must have taken to put all that up!
18. These door handles are actual life-saving designs.
They’re specially purposed for suicide prevention and intended to be installed at a psychiatric hospital. It’s a grim thought, but engineering can really make a difference.
19. This hotel wants its guests to have as much fun during their stay as possible, right down to putting folding lines on their notepads for anyone who might want to make a paper airplane.
Not that you really need the lines, but encouragement is always welcome, too.
20. When you can’t decide on your meal, this restaurant has a way out for you: let the staff pick your meal.
Looks a bit pricey to me, but still, might make for a more interesting night out!
21. A great idea to keep dogs from being left in hot cars while their owners shop during the summer: provide another, cooler option with these little fan-cooled doghouses.
I guarantee I’ve had worse apartments, too.
22. At this library, noisy distractions simply won’t be tolerated, and you don’t even need to shush someone interrupting your concentration.
That’s right, you can send a text to sic a library enforcer on the disturber in question.
23. This place saw an opportunity when they hung two round mirrors next to each other in their bathroom, and they went for it.
And I think mirror shades always pay off.
24. This flashlight has an intense, focused beam of light because it uses a convex lens to lessen how much light bleeds or floods an area.
Not sure I’ve ever seen such an intense flashlight before.
